VertigoLeg 1: 2005, US

Phoenix show - Bono's birthday blues

10 May 1997

Phoenix show - Bono's birthday blues

Phoenix show - Bono's birthday blues. Show improving, but birthday boy Bono, despite a family visit, is finding it all a bit uphill.

Phoenix. Bono's birthday. He's 37 today and has high-tailed it into the desert with Ali & the kids for the day, which I hope will help to relax him at least a little. Did a show last night, the first half of which I thought was our best to date. Got a bit lumpy after that, but we were rocking for a while there. Did a set list shuffle which helped no end and continuing tweaks to the visuals are getting us into good shape. Highlight of the day was the arrival of Alice Cooper at the mix position - we are not worthy! He shook my hand later. What a veteran. He's seen some mileage, but is still rocking. He loved it.

Sadly, (and unknown to us out front) Bono had a desperate show and was in a bit of a black hole. Confidence is low and we are very much on board the moving vehicle, but I know we will get to our destination. Its just a shame it's so uphill at the moment.

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Within the bands entourage (certainly by comparison to the crews clockwork scheduling) travel departure times are often a little loose. This morning was especially so, due to three contradictory memos which had been emailed out last night and this morning.

There was a 6.30pm conference call arranged between Bono (Dublin), The Edge (Los Angeles), Steve Matthews (London) and myself (also London) to blow the cobwebs off our brains and discuss the reincarnation of the Vertigo Tour.

I was planning on resurrecting the tour diary today, being the day we were scheduled to fly to Auckland for the load-in tomorrow. However, its now old news that the remainder of the tour dates have been postponed, so Im not going anywhere further than the corner cafe. Its been a very weird week indeed - much akin to driving into a wall.